


On the Beach

by alley_oops, jennandanica



Series: Citadel: Logan Marshall-Green and KJ Apa [1]
Category: Actor RPF, Citadel (Journalfen RPG), New Zealand Actor RPF, Riverdale (TV 2017) RPF
Genre: BDSM, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 11:34:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15605394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alley_oops/pseuds/alley_oops, https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennandanica/pseuds/jennandanica
Summary: Logan (AU) is ex-military, ex-mercenary, mostly retired, and occasionally works for  AU Tommy Flanagan who sponsored him into Citadel. He's also good friends with AU Antony Starr and Stephen Amell*. He has family money as well as his own. He struggles with PTSD. He was involved with AU Rafael Lazzini but that relationship ended roughly 10 months ago. Their storyline can be foundhere.Citadel knows Logan's past occupation(s) and current connections and they couldn't care less as long as he's not involving the organization directly in anything illegal.KJ (AU) is busy traveling the world while he tries to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life after having made a huge sum of money from an app he developed. He's been aged up to 31.*their storyline is posted under my name





	On the Beach

**Author's Note:**

> Citadel is a role-playing game which revolves around a private, adult, membership-only organization of the same name officially founded in Sarlat, France in 1856. The mission of this organization is to provide comfortable and safe settings world-wide for adults to engage in consensual alternative sexual expression.
> 
> The majority of characters are celebrities but nothing is meant to be implied about their real life counterparts. This is a role-playing game and everything contained herein (and in all game-related journals) is complete and utter fiction.
> 
> The game has now been effectively shut down but players continue to write some storylines and we're setting this new storyline (with a rebooted pup) in the world of Citadel.

On the mornings he's not out on his boat or working Logan's taken to heading down to the water. Early. In time to walk along the beach, sit, watch the sun rise. He's still sleeping for shit, spending a lot of his time feeling like a fucking zombie between the meds and the lack of sleep. But for an hour or so down here he finds real peace. Or at least what passes for it these days. 

Settling on the huge piece of driftwood - the one he expects public works will probably make disappear any day now - he watches the faint line of pink and orange edge the horizon. 

KJ ambles along in the edge of the surf, the water cold on his toes. It’s been a long night - hell, it was a long day before that - and he’s feeling bushed. Not so much that he’d miss this chance to watch the sun rise, though. The breeze picks up and he hunches into his sweatshirt, scuffing his bare feet in the sand. The solitary figure intrigues him. The guy appears steady and sober, which implies he’s actually out here for the same reason KJ is: just to appreciate the simple glory of nature. KJ gives him a nod of acknowledgement as he strolls by, but then halts some three meters past. Sometimes, it’s soothing to feel like he’s the only soul left alive in the world. 

But sometimes he just gets lonely.

“Hey,” he says softly to the stranger, and gestures at the driftwood. “Okay if I join you?”

Logan nods at the makeshift bench beside him. "Help yourself." Something in the man's accent having already caught his ear. He thinks to ask but then doesn't. He's not much for company these days. 

The voice is deeper, smoother than KJ was expecting. He smiles his thanks, a quick curving of his lips, and cautiously sits down in the sand, his back braced against the wood. Hugging his knees to his chest, he gazes up at Venus as it slowly begins to blend into the lightening sky.

Logan appreciates the man's silence. He doesn't care for people who talk simply to fill space or to hear themselves speak. But he does find himself glancing at the other man. Checking him out. Wondering what his story is.

The cresting waves soon draw KJ’s attention. He could lose himself endlessly in the ocean, he thinks: that steady, simple rhythm that somehow never quite repeats itself. Abruptly it occurs to him that putting his back to a stranger in an isolated spot probably isn’t the wisest move. He swiftly glances up at the man, who still seems content to watch in companionable stillness, and covertly sighs relief.

"It's quiet this time of day," Logan says, not quite sure why, and not having missed that glance, that flash of worry. 

“Yeah.” KJ throws a grin over his shoulder, meeting the man’s eyes in the rising light. “It’s an experience only for the truly dedicated.”

And that confirms it. "You're a Kiwi," Logan observes.

“Yeah.” KJ turns slightly to look at him now. “You can tell? Most people around here are like, ‘What are you, Australian?’” It’s a piquant rush to have his accent recognized.

"One of my best friends is from Wellington," Logan explains with a small smile, the growing light letting him realize just how good looking the other man is. 

That flash of a smile, brief as it is, transforms the stranger’s face and hits KJ hard. “That’s cool,” he says, ducking his head and trying to cover for how his heart is suddenly thumping. “Have you ever been?”

"Yeah. I spent a couple weeks there a few years back." As security for Antony and Stephen's wedding and honeymoon which he's still not sure Stephen knows about. "It's a beautiful country."

"The most beautiful. Although, this... this is something," KJ muses, the first streaks of sunshine dazzling his eyes. Getting up, he holds out his hand in greeting. "I'm KJ."

Logan nods, giving his name and shaking KJ's hand in turn. "Are you visiting?"

"Yeah. I've been here a couple weeks. Came up from San Diego, headed to see the Redwoods. California has a little bit of everything," KJ says, leaning against the driftwood. "Are you from here?"

"It's been home for a few years," Logan nods. "I live over there," pointing vaguely in the right direction. "On one of the canals."

“That’s cool. It must be beautiful.” They’re not alone anymore. Seagulls shriek overhead and dive into the water, and a handful of early shell-seekers walk the line of the surf. KJ sighs regretfully, then stifles a yawn, pushing to his feet once more.

"Can I buy you breakfast?" Logan offers, rising to his feet as well, not even sure where the words come from. Ingrained politeness maybe. Or perhaps he's been feeling more lonely than he wants to admit. "Or have you eaten already?"

Surprised by the invitation, KJ stretches his arms back behind him, pulling down on his wrists and buying himself a moment to think. Logan looks steady, stable — appearances can be deceiving of course, particularly in this town built on lies. But he lacks the strungout edge of a junkie, and he’s not setting off any subtle warning sensors that he’s looking to abduct people for a human trafficking ring. “Yeah, I could do with some breakfast,” he says, lighting up with a smile. “Thanks.”

When KJ smiles, Logan has a moment of regret. He's definitely attracted to the other man which makes this a really bad idea. But then again, his gaydar seems to be on the fritz these days so the guy's probably straight anyway. Fuck. "There's a great little diner, just up and over a couple of blocks," he suggests, leading the way back to the path bordering the beach. 

KJ falls into step beside him, and winces in realization. “Is this diner a very casual sort of place?” he asks, glancing at Logan. “Because I think... yeah, I must’ve left my shoes in the cab I caught here.” Either that, or they’re still at the party, but he thinks he was wearing them when he left.

Logan glances at KJ's bare feet and laughs. "It's not formal but yeah, I think they expect you to at least have a shirt and shoes." He grins, thinking. "We could drop by my place. Grab you some. I think we're about the same size," he says, placing a foot beside KJ's.

“Is it on the way?” KJ asks, feeling that flash of nervousness again. Logan might seem unassuming, but in no way does that necessarily equal safe.

"Pretty much. Right around the corner," Logan says, before clueing into KJ's nervousness. "You can wait outside and I'll bring you out a pair if you want." 

“That sounds great, thanks,” KJ accepts with alacrity. “So, what do you do? Or what keeps you here?”

"I'm ex-military, mostly retired," Logan explains, the standard line he gives everyone these days, "but I still do some private security work on occasion."

“Oh.” KJ smiles at him in bemusement. “Yeah, you seem a little young to retire completely. Are you working on a third career choice yet, fourth?” He gestures towards the sandy path they’ve just taken. “You could open a coffee shop on the beach.”

"That would mean a regular schedule," Logan jokes. "And way too much contact with people." He laughs. "I write though. I'm not published yet but I recently found an agent." 

“Hey, congratulations. I’ve heard actually getting an agent is the hardest part.” KJ looks around with interest as they walk, never too tired to stop being curious.

"Aside from the actual writing," Logan quips. "What about you? What do you do?"

“Not a whole lot right now. I’m kind of on a world tour,” KJ explains. “Just traveling, trying to see everything. Experience as much as I can.” As they walk, the houses are progressively getting nicer, obviously pricier. “Nice neighborhood,” he remarks, wondering how much farther away Logan is leading him.

"Thanks. This is me," Logan says, stopping in front of a Spanish-style home with red tile roof and green trim. "You sure you want to wait out here? There's the garden if you want?"

“You live here?” KJ blinks. He had looked into renting a house much like this one, but it hadn’t fit his budget. Now he does the math, trying to reconcile Logan’s wardrobe with the house before him. “Um, the garden looks lovely, yeah.”

Logan opens the gate and leaves it unlocked behind them. He doesn't want to spook KJ anymore than he already has and if there's one upside to being a stone-cold killer, it's that _you_ never have to worry about bringing the wrong person home. "Feel free to take a look around," he offers. "The dock's mine too."

The garden is lovely, a soothing oasis of green ivy and fragrant jasmine, and it winds around the side of the house to a private patio and the dock. KJ lays his hands on a legit picket fence and leans out over the canal, wondering what kind of man lives in a place like this all by himself. Of course, Logan did mention preferring solitude. _So why am I here?_

Logan returns with a newer pair of sneakers and some lightweight socks. "I have another pair you can try if those don't fit," he says, handing them over. "Do you have any shoes other than the ones you lost?"

“Yeah, back at my hotel,” KJ says, sitting down on a tiled bench. “Don’t worry, you’ll get these back,” he assures Logan with a smile. Getting to his feet again, he nods in satisfaction at the fit, then gestures at the canal. “It’s weird to see docks with no sailboats. Are they not allowed?”

"The canals are too narrow to have them in here. My dock's one of the few permitted ones. It was grandfathered in since this is one of the original homes," Logan explains, that smile doing weird things to his stomach. Christ. That's what he gets for all these months of celibacy. Not that he couldn't have gone to Citadel. "I do have a sailboat but I keep it at the nearby marina."

"You have your own boat? That sounds amazing. I haven't been sailing in years, but I keep meaning to go again." KJ drags a hand through his windswept hair, realizing too late he's likely disordering it further. Oh well. Their gazes cross briefly and his breath catches, then he chuckles at himself a little. "Sorry. Um." Jesus. He's got no doubt Logan could beat the shit out of him if he wanted to, and he's crazy to let himself make eye contact like that with a stranger. But that's just it-- it seems like Logan is the first attractive stranger in this city who isn't rubbing himself all over KJ, with or without an invitation. It gives him a chance to notice the breadth of his shoulders, the lush shape of his mouth... "Hungry?" _Fuck_ his mania over straight boys all to hell.

Yeah, but not for food. Still, that's what Logan promised him and he's still not sure he's reading those glances right. He nods. "Just let me lock up." He does so, making sure he's got his meds, his keys and his wallet and in seconds, they're back out on the sidewalk. "How long are you here?"

“A few days, I think. My schedule is pretty flexible. Have you ever been to Alaska?” KJ asks, slanting a sideways glance at his companion as they walk. “I’ve been pondering whether to go on one of those cruises. You know, that starts in Vancouver and then heads north.”

"I've been for work but I didn't really get to see anything." Pausing before he points out, grinning, "You don't really look like the cruise type."

God, that grin is unexpectedly devastating. “There is that. No family, no senior discount... I’d probably be bored as hell half the time.” KJ laughs, shaking his head at himself. “It sounds like you traveled a lot for your work. Where would you recommend I see?”

"Hey, I'm not trying to deter you from Alaska," Logan protests. "I just wouldn't take a regular cruise. There's some working yachts that offer trips - they're more expensive but the experience is a lot more... intimate. They can get into all the inlets and up close where the big ships can't. But I don't know what your budget's like and if you're travelling for a while, you're probably keeping a tight rein on things."

KJ nods. “I’ll keep it in mind, ‘cause that sounds cool. But you didn’t answer my question.” The truth is he just really likes listening to Logan talk, that silky deep voice with its - to him - exotic accent.

"About where I would recommend?" Logan gives that some thought. "South America if you haven't been - Argentina, Brazil. Eastern Europe - Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia. India. Asia." He grins again. "There's not too many places I wouldn't visit. But I prefer warm to cold and travelling independently."

“I went to India. China, Japan, Indonesia. Africa. Saudi Arabia and Israel. South America is next. I figured I’d close out with Europe. See, it's my grand plan to become as broke as possible,” KJ jokes. “Stretching out every last dollar until there are none left.”

"Sounds like a plan," Logan says with a laugh. "What about after that? Will you go back to New Zealand?"

“Yeah, it’s home. And I’ve got to figure out what I want to do with the next stage of my life. I worry about having those choices made for me,” KJ answers, a wry grin touching his lips.

"What do you mean?" Logan asks, stopping and pulling open the door to a small throw-back 50s diner. Inside the waitress nods and waves, calling out, "Seat yourselves."

The moment they sit down KJ starts flipping through the options on the table-top jukebox, charmed and curious. “Ooh, the Four Seasons,” he exclaims, and digs a quarter out of his pocket. The strains of “Walk Like A Man” start up, and he adjusts the volume to a conversation-friendly level. He blushes slightly, meeting Logan’s eyes. “My mum raised me on Motown and old 45’s,” he explains. “And, um... I kind of fiddled around after school, doing nothing much. So my parents eventually were like, ‘You’re going to uni.’ So I went to uni. And I did okay, but... It wasn’t my passion. I don’t want to just fall into a relationship, fall into fatherhood because it’s what it’s expected of me, you know? I need to figure out for myself first if I really want all that.”

Logan nods. "How old are you?" he says, opening his menu. "If you don't mind me asking."

“Nah, I don’t mind. I just turned 31 a few weeks ago,” KJ says, following suit. “Oh man, pancakes!” he exclaims rapturously. It doesn’t take too much to make him happy sometimes.

Logan laughs. "I've got ten years on you," he says, having already decided what he's having. "And I joined the army as a big fuck-you to my family. I wouldn't go back and change anything but it probably wasn't the best place to be making life-altering decisions from."

“So did it? Fuck them, I mean? I’m guessing they got over it.” KJ grins.

"Not really," Logan says, shaking his head. "They disowned me."

“What?” KJ is shocked, all the mirth draining from his face in an instant. “You’re fucking kidding me. For _that_?”

"There was more to it." More which Logan isn't going to explain, now, to a stranger. "But my point is, I get what you're saying about wanting to make sure you're making the right choices for you for the right reasons and not just going along with someone else's plans."

“Huh.” Well, that certainly might provide some perspective on why Logan seems so alone in the world. “I’m sorry. It’s good you’ve got good friends. And Kiwis, we’re known for our loyalty.”

That might be the understatement of the year, given what Logan's seen over the years with Antony. "It happened a long time ago." And it never really bothered him anyway. He gave up mourning his family and what should have been years before he left home. "What about your parents? You said they pushed you to uni. How do they feel about your travelling?"

“They miss me. But they know I’ll come home eventually.” Their server steps up to take their orders with a perky smile, which KJ finds impressive considering the hour. “I send emails and pictures every few days, so that keeps them happy. Where have you sailed?”

"With my boat? Mostly just along the coast here, although I'd like to make a longer trip - take a couple weeks and sail down to Mexico - La Paz," Logan says. "Other than that, I've done some sailing in Greece, along the coast of Italy, South America, and all through the Caribbean."

KJ smiles. “That’s very cool. You’re definitely inspiring me to get back on deck. Especially in Italy and Greece. I have a huge file on my laptop of pictures I’ve saved, of places I want to make sure I go. It’s travel porn.”

"Which is both better and worse than real porn," Logan quips with a sigh then laughs. "You actually sail? As in have skills. Or just like to go out on boats?"

“I used to have real skills. I wouldn’t go out without an actual captain now.” KJ laughs and fidgets with the bottle of maple syrup on the table. “It’s less messy than real porn, that’s for sure.”

"So's real estate porn," Logan points out. "That's a good one too." Wondering if he should hold back on the offer he's about to make. Fuck. "We could go out. Tomorrow. Weather's supposed to be awesome. Unless you've got other plans?"

“I don’t, no. I’d love to.” Just like that, KJ can feel himself grinning like a fool. But he likes Logan, likes how easy it is to talk to him. There’s no pressure, unlike with seemingly everyone else. No agenda.

"Great. I'll put together a cooler, some food, and we'll be gone the whole day if that works?" Logan says. "You drink?" 

"Yeah. What can I bring? I mean, aside from your shoes?" A whole day with Logan? Damn. 

"You can bring a six pack if you want," Logan suggests, figuring that's more than enough for a day out, especially with only the two of them and him on his meds. "And a windbreaker or hoodie, shoes," he grins. "Swim trunks. I can give you a towel."

"Sounds fantastic." Sounds... tempting as all hell, but KJ can behave for one day. "You sure I won't be keeping you from--" _anyone_ "anything?" All right, so maybe he's starting to flirt just a little. Testing the waters, as it were.

Logan shakes his head. "I'm not working til the end of the month and I'm waiting back on my agent's comments before I keep going with my book." That pause only now sinking in. Huh. "I've been playing hermit lately. I could use to get out and be sociable." 

“Great.” Their food arrives and KJ digs in, slathering his pancakes with butter. “Oh, man. I didn’t even realize how hungry I was,” he says, taking a sublime first bite. “Am I allowed to ask what your book’s about?”

"Well, this one, the one I have in with my agent, is science fiction. Post-apocalyptic, survivors trying to find a world worth living in, that sort of thing," Logan says with a small shrug. "I always feel weird talking about my writing," he admits.

KJ stares at him with a touch of wonder. “You’ve written more than one? Damn. That sounds really awesome. Do you think your military background really plays into that, the surviving?”

Logan grins. "I definitely know a lot more about the necessary survival skills up front than a lot of writers, and I know a lot about human nature and motivations but I wouldn't say I'm better at writing any of this than someone who's really done their research." 

"But you lived the research," KJ counters, smearing a bite of pancake through fluffy whipped cream. "That's got to count for a lot more. And it adds more realism. What kind of apocalypse? That you're writing about, I mean. Biological, nuclear? Zombie?" 

"A combination of A.I. gone wrong and fundamentalist religion," Logan says, wondering what it is about KJ that has him opening up to a complete stranger. Hell, he'd barely told Rafael what his books were about.

KJ's eyes widen. "A theological apocalypse. That's bloody brilliant." He grins, then pops a last piece of bacon into his mouth. "It sounds like you've found your calling."

Logan laughs. "I hope so," he admits. "My agent seems to think there's a market for it but I'll keep writing either way." He smiles at KJ. "What did you study at uni?"

"Cognitive science. It's kind of a mix of computer programming, language, and philosophy," KJ explains in advance of the inevitable follow-up question. "I liked it because it entailed lots of classes of different types, rather than all computers all the time or something, you know? It suited me."

"That sounds really cool. My friend? The other Kiwi I know, he's really good with computers," Logan says. "He turned his skills into this huge corporate security thing though. Does all these custom programs and such for companies around the world."

"Yeah? Huh." KJ sits back with his coffee, intrigued. "There's an idea I hadn't thought of. Is he hiring?" He winks. "Don't worry, I'm kidding."

"I know, but if you ever decide to settle down for a bit and need some money, let me know," Logan says, and means it. He grins. "You have to take advantage of connections when you make them." 

"Ahh, I hate networking," KJ says with a rueful sigh. "I hate all that 'who you know' bullshit." He gazes thoughtfully at Logan. "Did you have to go through that when you were getting your agent?"

"A bit," Logan admits, gazing back, suddenly given a huge opening in gauging whether his gaydar's completely broken. "My friend - the Kiwi - his husband knows I write and he knows this entertainment lawyer. He got the lawyer to take a look at one of my books and he liked it so much he referred me to _his_ friend, who's now my agent."

"That's really positive feedback. I mean, an agent _and_ a lawyer." KJ grins. "And your friend, presumably. Did you let him and his husband read it, too?"

"Not a chance," Logan says with a laugh, shaking his head, a sigh of relief breathed at KJ's easy acceptance of 'his husband'. "I didn't even let my ex read it."

KJ's brow crimps. "Too personal? I think I get that. I write music sometimes, songs... I don't let anyone listen to them," he reveals with a wide open self-deprecating laugh.

"No one? Not ever?" Logan asks, surprised to find someone as secretive about their creative pursuits as he is. 

"Not really. I mean... I was in a Creative Writing class back in school. Don't laugh at me. I wrote all this poetry, just really bad poetry. And I'd read it aloud in class," KJ says, dissolving into snickers. "And someone would say, 'That's nice.' And I'm thinking, what the hell? Here I'm baring my angsty tortured teenage soul and someone says it's nice? And not too many years after that, I came to the realization that I was a terrible fucking composer, too. So here we are."

Logan laughs. "I think even if I end up being published, I'll probably use a pen name. Have Antony rig me up some sort of algorithm that hides any reviews."

"So you can't read them? That's brilliant. Good thinking. No Google searches on yourself." KJ downs the last of his coffee, then half-smothers a yawn behind his hand. "Sorry," he says, blinking hard, "it's the hour, not the company. I always tell myself I'm going to get some sleep, and then I always stay up all night."

"No worries," Logan says, gesturing to the waitress for their bill. "So we're still on for sailing tomorrow?"

"Yeah, totally. Should I meet you at your house? I'll make sure to go to bed like a normal person tonight." It shouldn't, dammit, but KJ's heart races a little at the thought of spending a day on the water with Logan.

Logan nods. "Is six too early?" He likes to get an early start, as already evidenced by today.

"Nah, that sounds perfect." KJ grins at him. "Thanks for breakfast."

"You're welcome. Just remember, you're bringing the beer tomorrow," Logan says, grinning back and pulling his phone from his pocket. "Here. Give me your number in case things change."

"All right." KJ types in his number and places the call, hanging up as soon as it starts ringing. "There, now I've got you too. And I wouldn't forget. Beer is very important to me. It's right up there with pancakes."


End file.
